Tips for preventing child deaths in hot cars

More than three dozen children die of hyperthermia in cars annually in the United States, and since 1998 more than 500 children have died in hot cars. Heatstroke can happen when the temperature is as low as 57 degrees, and car interiors can reach well over 110 degrees even when the outside temperature is in the 60s.

Here are some tips from safety advocates on avoiding deaths in hot cars:

• Never leave children alone in a vehicle to run even a short errand. Use drive-through windows at banks, dry cleaners and restaurants whenever possible. Use a debit or credit card to pay for gas at the pump.

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